Companies spend significant amounts of money and time producing hard copy materials to bring to trade shows, in the hope that everyone who picks up brochure will read it carefully. The reality is that most attendees that receive materials will end up tossing them.
Make Your Collateral Work Harder
So how do you ensure your marketing materials are actually read? In most cases, it’s wiser to send your materials to prospects after the show. It’s natural to want to give everything you have to anyone who visits your trade show display, but you’ll get better results by placing a well-timed and informative email to your prospects after the event. Why?
1. People are more likely to read the literature when they’re at their desk. These days, snail mail stands out. At their desks, people have more time to review it in a leisurely fashion. Most people attending trade shows are rushing around trying to see as many people as possible and they just don’t have time to read through everything.
2. It’s more likely your literature will find its way into the appropriate hands if you mail or email it. If you send it via email or mail, recipients will most likely forward it on to others who might be interested or who are in charge of procuring the products or services you offer. They’re also more likely to store your literature for future reference.
Don’t Let Your Trade Show Message Get Lost In The Crowd
3. Your literature won’t get lost in the shuffle. At trade shows, visitors have tons of literature shoved into their hands by dozens of companies. Do you really want to be just one more flyer or brochure in an overwhelming stack? Mailing or emailing materials a week after the trade show means you’ll stand out. Your material won’t be just one brochure among many. Waiting a week also sets your material apart and readers will have more time to review your materials and digest the information.
4. Scientific studies have proven that repetition improves recall. Potential customers who visit your tradeshow booth may or may not remember your company name after the event is over, but the chances they will recall who you are and what you have to offer increases dramatically if they visit your booth one week and receive company literature the next week. Jogging their memory with a short, personal note included with your literature will also make readers feel appreciated. Everyone likes to be remembered.
When Less Is More
5. Your trade show area will look cleaner, neater, and more professional if you don’t have boxes of material lying all over the place. Having the right literature is great, but if you have stacks of paper sliding over or a messy array of literature, it can confuse visitors or simply turn them off. In many cases, a “less is more” approach is best.
6. This is the best reason of all: Mailing your literature gives you the ideal opportunity to get valid contact information from everyone who visits your booth. Simply ask for each person’s name, address, and email so that you can send them your literature and any additional information they request. You’ll get more leads if you have something to offer after the trade show is over.
Have you go more ideas on how to improve your trade show results. Please share your comments and suggestions below.
